Roberts, Helen

The Florida Public Accountability System and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, FCAT, have been in use since 1996. Since that time, schools have received grades, rewards and sanctions for performance, promotion requirements have changed, and the results of the FCAT are published annually for public scrutiny. With testing required in grades 3 through 11, middle schools (grades 6--8) must test all the students in their schools. A literature review revealed that, although achievement studies, drop out studies, and other data had been analyzed, little research focused on the impact of the FCAT from the perspective of the classroom teacher. This study examines the impact of the Florida Public Accountability System and the FCAT on the middle school classroom from the teacher's perspective. A survey of 130 middle school teachers was conducted in the spring of 2004. The study included closed-ended questions and space for additional comments. The impact was measured based on three variables, the impact on instructional methodologies, the impact on the quality of education and the impact on job satisfaction. Each of these variables was further analyzed to see if the grade of the school in which the teacher works has an effect on their responses to the survey. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted to determine if the subject area which the teacher teaches affected responses to the survey. Results indicate that responses are split on the majority of questions relating to the impact of the FCAT and the Florida Public Accountability System on both the instructional methodologies in classrooms and on the quality of education. These results showing both positive and negative responses between individual teachers indicate a lack of agreement within the teaching profession and create an interesting dynamic for school leaders. The results indicate less disagreement on the effects on job satisfaction with teachers reporting little impact on their own personal job satisfaction however, more impact on staff morale. A school's grade did not appear to influence differences in responses. However, the subject areas that a teacher reported teaching did seem to influence teacher responses. With increasing emphasis on accountability in mind, including Federal No Child Left Behind requirements, further research in this area is recommended.